


Sweater Weather

by soliloqui



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: ASGZC, Alternate Universe, Autumn, Caring boyfriends, Cloud drowning in Angeal's sweaters, Cloud whump, Cuddles, Fluff, Gen being pervy, Hot Cocoa, I swear I will slay you with the domesticity of this, M/M, Multi, SO MUCH FLUFF, Zack too, fall - Freeform, kissis, sick Cloud, warning for consensual groping and talk about butts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-29 09:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5122733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soliloqui/pseuds/soliloqui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The bfs enjoy the golden season. Or: 5.8k of self-indulgent fluff and cuddles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweater Weather

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tobiroth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobiroth/gifts).



> Inspired by the following anon prompt on Tobi's blog:
> 
> (1/2) Okay but autumn for Cloud and his bfs. The bfs making sure Cloud's all bundled up when they go out cause it's chilly outside and they don't want him to catch a cold even though he insists he's fine. Cloud wearing Angeal's huge sweaters cause they're super warm and comfy and they smell like him. Zack and Cloud jumping into piles of leaves when they're supposed to be raking them cause it's just too much fun. Genesis making hot cocoa to drink while he reads to Cloud all cuddled up in bed.  
> (2/2) Seph and Cloud going on cute little coffee dates and snuggling close while watching movies cause it’s chilly this time of year. The bfs just going for little walks under the colourful autumn trees and holding hands and giving Cloud little forehead kisses and just wow what am i even doing i’m sorry 
> 
> Title inspired by the song 'sweater weather' by The Neighborhood

Cloud loved autumn.

Not just because of the way the lazy October sun shone through the branches of the old oak tree before his apartment complex to paint stripes across his room, or the way red and orange leaves littered the walkways like a carpet of pure gold throughout the city, or the way a fresh wind made the air smell even cleaner than usual.

No, Cloud especially loved autumn because the chill gave him one more reason to cuddle up to his warm, vibrant boyfriends.

Before becoming a part of this special relationship, Cloud had never seen himself as a particularly tactile person; he had liked to keep his distance. But he soon came to realize he had simply not had an incentive before to get close to people like that. Hugs were cozy, and beautiful, and it gave Cloud a warm feeling deep inside his chest to know there were people who would wrap him up inside their arms and keep him safe. Angeal, Genesis, Zack and Sephiroth were the _best_ huggers, and had turned him from an emotionally detached introvert into a cuddly, clingy little chocobo– at least, as long as his four precious lovers were involved.

It wasn’t always hugs, either. Cloud let his mind wander while cruising down the streets of Midgar on his bike. Right from the start, there had been tiny things that managed to make the blonde’s heart beat faster. Like Angeal giving him a little peck on the forehead while handling pots and pans in the kitchen, or Sephiroth entwining their fingers over the table top while on one of their little coffee dates at that cute café across the square, or when Zack and Genesis held his hands in their own warm ones while going for a walk.

Despite having been extremely busy that week with his classes and side job at Tifa’s delivery service, Cloud was glad he had managed to head over to Shinra HQ at noon one day to go on a lunch date with his lovers. On the way back, they had taken a detour through the park, one of many that had sprung up throughout the city during the past years, curtesy of Shinra Green Energy Inc. Cloud had curiously wondered how many of these trees under the boughs of which he was walking had been personally chosen and implemented by Angeal, as his hand had innocently slipped into that of the older raven-haired man. Angeal had given him an affectionate smile when Cloud had leaned into him and rested his head on the man’s shoulder.

By now, the boy had reached his destination and went about parking his bike at the curb. Once the engine stuttered out, Cloud took a moment to take a deep breath and let his shoulders sag.

It had been a long, long week indeed.

While Cloud loved mechanics like (almost) nothing else, his studies took a lot out of him. Especially since his free time was divided between working as delivery boy, helping out at Cid’s garage, keeping Fenrir in top shape and spending time with his boyfriends, who were themselves often rather busy working in the executive level of a big company. But Cloud needed the extra money to pay for rent, since he stubbornly refused his lovers’ offers to pitch in, and he enjoyed his time in the garage too much to stop.

It had been a busy week, but Sunday at least was time that belonged only to the five of them. Cloud had even stood up early that morning to get some last coursework done, so that he would be able to enjoy the day with his lovers without distractions. Sometimes they went on dates together, but more often than not, they just spent the time together at home. While they were not making a big secret out of their relationship, they often got some unfriendly stares for being affectionate with each other in public, prompting them to just stay in the privacy of their own walls.

By now it was early noon, and Cloud shivered in the cold wind. Absently, he rubbed his aching throat and decided to head in quickly to warm up. He’d better not be coming down with something; his lovers’ fretting would know no end if he were.

The fence’s gate swung open with a squeak and allowed Cloud to walk up the short, pebbled walkway to the front porch.

The house belonged to Genesis and Angeal both. They’d bought the old, creaky but roomy estate a couple of years back, after the previous proprietor had passed away. By doing so, they’d fulfilled themselves a wish they’d had since they were teens and freshly in love. The wooden boards on the walls had seen better days, but to Cloud the house couldn’t be more beautiful, with its old lady charm, flower boxes in front of arched windows and wind-chime above the door. Though the most decisive factor for the buy, Cloud was sure, had been the large garden in the back. Over time, Angeal had turned it into a tiny biotope with a multitude of different plants, bushes, trees and flowers, even some crops, and a comfy bench to sit and admire them all.

Somehow, it just felt like… home.

Cloud let himself in with his spare key and hung up his jacket at the rack before heading on through to the living room, guided by the sound of voices, where the others had made themselves comfortable on the plushy chairs and couches.

Sephiroth stood up to greet him, a hand on Cloud’s cheek guiding him into a gentle kiss.

“Hello, love. Was your morning adequate?”

Cloud graced the silverette with a warm smile. “Yea, I’ve had to finish some homework, but I’m free now. It’s good to have some time away from everything again.”

Sephiroth took a step back and returned to his spot in his favorite grey armchair while Cloud walked over to greet Zack with a quick peck on the lips and a ruffle through his dark hair. Zack yelped in protest and retaliated with a playful slap on Cloud’s behind, prompting the blonde to stick out a tongue at his elder.

At last, he settled between Angeal and Genesis on the love chair, where the two had considerately made space for him.

“Brr, it’s chilly outside”, Cloud remarked while trailing his hand over Genesis’ thigh. The redhead covered the appendage with his own, rubbing some warmth into it, as Angeal tightly wrapped an arm around him.

Much better.

For a while, they just chatted with each other, catching the others up about how everyone’s week had been. Cloud was usually the odd one out, being the only one still in college, but he really enjoyed listening to the others’ tales of what was going on at Shinra. They all had worked their way up to the top management over time and often had to deal with stubborn department leaders, shipment delays, burns, floods or other minor catastrophes in the labs (which Genesis was completely uninvolved in), or that one idiot Heidegger doing something stupid again.

Whereas Angeal had a double degree in biology and environmental studies, both Genesis and Sephiroth saw themselves as natural scientists. Genesis was a passionate chemist, relishing in mixing together new substances and concoctions, especially if he could later set them on fire. He had once confided in Cloud that he loved the different colors chemicals could take on when you burned them, how the color of the flames could help you identify a substance. He often felt like some chemicals had a life of their own. To him, chemistry was art.

Sephiroth on the other hand was a physicist. Something about the solid, firm logic of the laws of nature was calming to him, and there was always something new out there to explore, some new mystery to solve.

Sharing some classes had made Genesis and Sephiroth meet, and while they had nurtured a healthy rivalry in the beginning, Angeal’s kind influence had made the three grow close during their college time, to the point where Angeal and Genesis had invited the silver haired beauty to join their relationship one day, shortly before starting together at Shinra.

They talked until sometime around the afternoon, sharing a cup of tea and homemade cookies with each other, before deciding to make good use of the last rays of sunshine and moving outside.

But, of course, not before…

“Wait, Cloud! Here, put this on. I know it’s a bit big, but…”

“…Ange-al!”

“…but it’s warm and made from a complementary blend of organic cotton and sheep wool, none of that artificial nonsense they’re selling nowadays. My mother knitted it herself when I was a boy. It’s too chilly outside for you to just be walking around in that thin shirt of yours. Now lift your arms…”

“Aww, well aren’t you just cute when you’re pouting, Chocobo-boy!”

“Shut it, Zack!”

“There we go.”

To be fair, it was more of a token protest Cloud put up, but he didn’t want his boyfriends to get the idea he particularly liked it when they mother-hen’d him.

Angeal was right, the blue-green knit sweater _was_ plenty big on him. Not that he really minded. The bottom seam went down past his waist, and Cloud made a show out of adjusting the collar of the baggy garment, inconspicuously pressing his nose into the fabric for a brief moment. It smelt of Angeal, like earth and after-shave and manly, manly muskiness.

Cloud took a deep breath, staying unaware of the way the original sweater-owner smiled at him behind a lifted hand.

Once outside, Genesis and Sephiroth quickly migrated to the chess table on the porch, the redhead demanding a rematch for a previously lost game. Angeal got the garden clippers from the shed to take care of the overgrown hedge in the back, also bringing a pair of rakes and instructing Zack and Cloud to pile together the fallen leaves.

…really, he should have known better.

To be fair, they had at least managed to gather the majority of the leaves in one huge pile before their little war broke out. It started with Zack dropping a handful of wet, slimy leaves from the damp earth below the hydrangea into the back of Cloud’s large collar. The blonde jumped with a shriek before turning around and gathering a mass of dead plants from the ground, all in one fluid motion, and hurling them in Zack’s face with gusto.

After that things got heated.

They eventually got broken up by Angeal, clippers in one hand, the other propped on his hip; the picture of patient annoyance (really, it could have been convincing if not for that amused glint in his eyes).

“He started it!”

“…what? No way! Zack did!”

“Did not.”

“Did too!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!!”

“D—“ Before Zack had the chance to open his mouth again, he was tackled into their pile of leaves by an angry blonde blur. The wrestled each other like children until Zack managed to get the upper hand and trapped Cloud below him, hands pinned on either side of his face and with barely an inch of space between them. Cloud looked rather like a frazzled Chocobo, orange and brown leaves and little twigs sticking out of his hair every which way.

“Do you yield?” the ravenette asked with a smirk. He did, however, not expect the blonde to snap his head up in order to lick the other across the nose, the surprise attack giving Cloud the chance to wriggle free and kick the other off of him. “Eww, gross!!”

“What exactly is more gross about this part of your anatomy than the one Cloud stuck his tongue into last weekend?” a cheeky voice asked from the direction of the chessboard. Neither of the two had even noticed Genesis and Sephiroth pausing their game to watch them wrestling on the ground. Cloud blushed ten shades of red (it was the frigid wind driving the blood into his cheeks, of course), but gave Zack a hand up from where he was still lying in the dirt. Zack’s only retort was sticking his tongue out at Genesis.

They eventually headed inside after the redhead accused Sephiroth of having let him win on purpose – which the silver one of course vehemently denied – and Zack and Cloud took a shower together while the others prepared dinner.

Conversation eventually returned to work after everyone was sated and had relocated back to the couches. Cloud had snatched the spot next to Zack, feeling a bit cold even after the hot meal and using his tall boyfriend as personal heater. While it was true that Zack was often seen as the hyperactive puppy who couldn’t sit still for more than a minute, what many didn’t know was that he could stay still as a stone if he had a cold Chocobo looking for snuggles leaned against his chest.

Apparently, there would be a big meeting the next day, with the top execs and all department leaders present. Zack already bemoaned the fact that Palmer would come up with another stupid idea, or Scarlet would hold up the whole board again trying futily to goad Rufus Shinra into investing in weapon technology.

“I swear, if I gotta listen to another five hours of Heidegger’s nerve-grating laugh, _something_ ’s gonna die.”

Genesis sighed, throwing a woeful, pointed look in Cloud’s direction where he was busy getting snacks from the cubboard. “Oh, if only we had a hot, sexy, young intern to interrupt that meeting quarter-hourly to bring us coffee and wave his tantalizing ass at us while walking past. If only, if only…”

Cloud secretly enjoyed when Genesis lay it on thick with the melodrama, especially when he was philosophizing about Cloud’s particular assets, but he still refused his boyfriends’ offers of getting him a spot as intern at Shinra. As much as he appreciated the company’s work in providing Midgar and the surrounding area with clean, environmental-friendly energy sources, Cloud rather saw his future grease- and oil-streaked below a motor bike than behind a desk in pinstripe suit and tie.

“Mh, as far as I know you’ve already got an intern.” Cloud put on a fake air of pensiveness while setting down the chips and cheese curls on the couch table and walking back to his seat. “And I’ve heard Luxiere’s got quite the cute butt, really.”

“Oh, really?” Genesis sprung like a serpent, grabbing Cloud around the waist and pulling him down to straddle the elder’s lap. Cloud felt a slap against his cheek, followed by a squeeze. “Now that would need to be a mighty cute butt to distract me from such a mind-bogglingly insipid meeting. I wonder if his is as squishy as your lovely behind.”

“You could always come straight over to the garage after the meeting, for comparison purposes only, of course. I’ll even let you analyze the exact squishiness factor of said lovely behind.” Cloud leaned forward until their foreheads touched and breathed in the other’s scent. Apples and cinnamon, as always.

Genesis closed the last bit of distance, murmuring against his lips and concluding their easy banter, “Now there’s an idea…” The rest of Cloud’s thought process fled in the haze of their heated kiss. Genesis was quite the skilled kisser, and rightfully prided himself in that fact.

Cloud lost himself in the feel of lips against lips, tongue against teeth, while hands roamed over his back below the shirt and his own tangled in ginger hair. It was easy to lose track of time while being caught up in Genesis’ meticulous attention, and he probably could have continued for a large while longer, had they not been interrupted by wolf-whistles and a “Get a room!” from Zack across the living room table.

“Excuse _me_ ,” Genesis griped with an affronted stare after detaching his lips from Cloud’s. “This just so happens to be my house. _You_ get a room.”

“ _Our_ house,” Angeal corrected gently from where he was trailing a lazy hand through Sephiroth’ hair. He didn’t clarify if he meant himself and Genesis, or all of them; it wasn’t necessary.

The redhead slung his arms over Cloud’s shoulders, drawing him in to rest his chin on blond spikes. “Whatever. Same difference.”

When night fell, conversation tapered off gradually until both Zack and Sephiroth decided it was time to leave. Cloud was almost asleep in Genesis’ arms by then, so the elder lifted him up, kissed the other two goodbye, and carried the blonde into their bedroom, where he and Angeal soon curled up with their young one between them. Cloud’s last thought was about that annoying itch in his throat that hadn’t let up all evening, before he finally nodded off.

\- - -

Cloud was extremely groggy when he came to.

It took him longer than usual to place where he was and figure out it wasn’t his alarm that had ripped him from slumber, but Genesis’ (seeing as Angeal was a natural early riser and was likely already outside watering his plants).

His mind was as though wrapped in fog, and when he tentatively tried to swallow, Cloud was met with a fierce ache.

 _Finally_ , the incessant beeping noise stopped. Genesis pulled his hand back from the clock with a sigh, gathered his strength for the day in the matter of a few seconds, and bounded out of bed with a quick kiss to Cloud’s neck. “Up up and about, little bird! You have classes to go to, knowledge to acquire, teachers to drive insane!”

Cloud just buried deeper under the blanket with a grumble. Gen’s cheery voice was making his head hurt.

The redhead tutted before opening the curtains with a _swish,_ getting dressed and heading for the bathroom.

When he came back, he found the bundle of sleepy blonde unmoved on the bed.

“Come on, Cloud. Your first lecture is in an hour, no? And you still need to grab your things from your apartment.” Genesis crawled back on the mattress to press a kiss into Cloud’s tussled hair, the only part of the blonde sticking out from the blanket.

Unsure if the boy was being difficult on purpose or not, Genesis grabbed the edge of the covers and pulled them down to expose his face. “Cloud?”

The young man blinked up at him dazedly, unable to quite focus his gaze on the red blur above him. “…Gen?” His voice even _sounded_ scratchy, too; more of a weak rasp, really.

Now he definitely had Genesis’ full attention. The elder fixed him with a worried stare, frown marring his face. “Are you alright, love?”

Cloud gave a little sigh before closing his eyes again. It was too bright in the room.

“Mh… not feelin’ that g’d…”

He felt a hand cradle his face and gratefully leaned into the soothingly cold touch.

“…you are a little warm.” The knuckles of a second hand grazed his brow before being replaced by Genesis’ own forehead. “I think you might be running a fever. Talk to me, Cloud. What are your symptoms?”

The boy in question turned his head to the side to bury his burning face in the pillow below, dislodging his lover’s hand, which started threading through his hair instead. “…’m tired. Achy… My throat hurts.”

“Cloud?”

Angeal had come into the room by then, probably wondering if his two boyfriends had fallen asleep again. When he saw Genesis hovering over Cloud with a concerned expression, he faltered, before walking around the bed and kneeling down.

“He’s sick and burning up.”

“…I knew those two shouldn’t have played around in the cold like that yesterday.”

Cloud extracted his head briefly from its hiding place to grumble a “Quit mothering” in Angeal’s direction. The ravenette chuckled.

“I guess you can’t be that bad off if you can still snipe at me like that.”

The blonde turned away again with a huff. “I’m dying.”

The words had been meant to be joking, to reassure the others that he’d be fine, but the effect was kind of lost when Cloud promptly fell into a raspy coughing fit that didn’t seem to want to stop.

“That’s it”, Genesis exclaimed while rubbing a hand soothingly over Cloud’s back. “I’m staying here.”

Finally catching his breath, Cloud opened one eye to peer up at the redhead. “Can’t. You got that meeting.”

Angeal pursed his lips unhappily. “Unfortunately, he does have a point, Gen. The president would have our head if we don’t show up. He’s been planning this meeting for weeks.”

“Look,” Cloud started. “I feel like I could sleep for another week, anyway. It’s probably just a little cough, and I doubt I’ll even notice if you’re there or not, anyway.”

“But what if you need to use the bathroom and get dizzy and faint and hit your head on the tub and lie there helpless in the growing puddle of your own blood for _hours_ before I—“

“ _Gen_.” Cloud reached up a shaky hand to trail over Genesis’ cheek. “I’ll be _fine_ , okay?” The hand was cradled in Genesis’ own and a kiss pressed to Cloud’s palm. “Just gotta send a text to Cid that I won’t be over today, and ring up Jessie or Wedge later to get their notes for class. Or Kunsel, he knows everything anyway.”

Kunsel was known at university as the ‘eternal student’. He’d already been around by the time Zack had started studying electronics (which was how he met Cloud, actually, before graduating), and no one quite knew exactly how the guy payed for his tuition. But he was crazy smart, had taken a bazillion classes and was somehow always in the know – whether about which professor slept with who or what would be question 26b) on the next English literature test, didn’t matter.

“Alright” Angeal rose from his position on the carpet with a puff of air. “I’ll get you some milk with honey to sooth your throat, and some porridge. If you have a fever, you will need to keep up your strength. And drink lots, you hear me?”

“Yes, mum,” Cloud mocked with a snicker, more for Angeal’s sake than actual humor after how much his throat protested the action.

Once Angeal had left, Genesis attracted his attention again with a gentle hand on Cloud’s shoulder, ginger hair falling into blue eyes. “I shall be back in the afternoon. I’ll call in sick at the library. They can’t really complain, what with how long I stayed overtime last week after the disaster in the adult section.”

Despite sometimes moaning about ‘imbecilic’ coworkers, Cloud knew that Genesis loved his part-time job at Midgar’s large library. It had been a dream come true for the literature lover when he’d decided to cut down a little on is work hours as head of department and start working in the midst of books, every afternoon on most days of the week.

“Promise I’ll head over right after the meeting. After all, a little Chocobo whispered to me that his cute butt needs much care and attention,” was added with a wink before Genesis leaned over and graced Cloud’s forehead with a soft kiss.

“Call if you need anything, little bird.”

After Angeal had set the promised breakfast on the nightstand, together with a pitcher of water, the two elder men left. Cloud barely managed to down some porridge and the warm milk before falling promptly asleep again to the rhythmic pounding in his head.

\- - -

True to his own word, Cloud slept right through the day and was woken by soft clattering noises from the kitchen. Orange afternoon light filtered through the windows, painting the bedroom in a warm glow.

After a minute, Genesis entered through the door, carefully balancing a tray of delicious smelling chicken soup and a cup of hot tea in his hands. Cloud sat up at the sight and stretched his arms above his head with a yawn to work out the kinks, before giving a little cough.

“Good afternoon, beautiful. Sleep well?”

The tray was set down on Cloud’s blanket covered lap, and the blonde briefly lifted his hands to rub the grit from his eyes. “Mhmm… I guess. Don’t really r’memb’r.”

It was obvious Cloud was still groggy, and maybe even a little dizzy from sitting up, the way he swayed back and forth slightly. Genesis climbed onto the covers and leaned against the headboard, pulling the blonde into his side with an arm to stabilize him. Cloud nuzzled into his neck sleepily.

Genesis was warm. The room spun. He closed his eyes.

“Hey there, don’t you fall asleep on me!” The sick Chocobo was shaken lightly. “Do you need me to spoon-feed you, little bird?”

Cloud snorted. “…’m not a baby, Gen.”

Somehow, his hand found the spoon and he started to eat, occasionally interrupted by bouts of coughing, while the other informed him about his day to fill the silence comfortably. When he was done, Genesis reached into his pocket and procured a bottle of cough syrup. Cloud groaned.

“And now, for the best part…”

“Ugh, do I have to?”

Genesis didn’t deem that comment worthy of a reply, playfully bumping his chin against Cloud’s shoulder instead and filling a spoon with the syrup. “Say ahh…”

“Tch, seriously? Hm… aren’t you gonna feed me my medicine mouth to mouth, like they always do in those corny romance novels?” Cloud quipped.

“Do you want me to?”

“Ge-en…”

“You know I would.”

“That’s what scares me. _Gross_.” Cloud snatched the spoon. “Can’t have you getting my germs.” 

He swallowed down the syrup with one gulp, then stuck out his tongue.

“Bleh. Nasty…” 

“I know _just_ the remedy, my dear.” Genesis gently extricated himself to head for the kitchen, and Cloud sat back with a sigh, setting the tray over onto the side table. His throat still felt like it was on fire, but he hoped the medicine would take effect soon.

Before he knew it, Genesis was back. As it turned out, his idea of a remedy against sore throats and nasty cough syrup alike was steaming, sugary, sweet hot chocolate, with a generous topping of whipped cream. 

Cloud moaned when the scent hit his olfactory cells. “Genesis, I love you.”

“Why, one could almost think it is only the hot beverage in my hand that makes you say that.” A wink let him know he was forgiven even before any offense could be taken. 

“I definitely need to tell you more often, then. Every morning, and every evening, and while you’re at work I’ll send you a hundred texts saying I love you. Every night, I’ll wake you up hourly to sing my praises to you at the top of my voice, just in case you’ve forgotten in your sleep.”

“I knew there was a reason you’re my boyfriend.” 

Cloud smirked, hiding another cough behind his hand and struggling to keep his cup straight.

Only now that Genesis had a hand free did the blonde notice the thick book clamped between his lover’s arm and rib cage. Seeing Cloud’s gaze, the elder asked, “Want me to read to you?” 

A nod prompted the redhead to settle down next to Cloud, book in one hand, hot cocoa in the other. After a brief struggle, Cloud had the blanket wrapped all the way around him and over his head (miraculously without staining the sheets), cocooning himself and his precious hot chocolate in fluffy warmth, until only the tip of his nose and curious blue eyes could be seen.

The sweet smell of chocolate filled Cloud’s mind and taste buds, and he relaxed completely, listening to Genesis read to him in his smooth, calming tenor. 

\- - -

Cloud must have nodded off at some point in time, because when he next became aware of his surroundings he was flat on his back and alone in the room. 

It was also stiflingly hot; Cloud kicked the covers off his body the best he could, wondering absently where his empty cup had gone. His chest felt uncomfortably tight and constricted.

Deciding he would be better able to breathe upright and wanting to get away from his warm, damp sheets, Cloud gingerly sat up. The walls spun a little, but after a while he managed to stand up and wander into the hallway on unsteady feet. 

Following the sound of chatter and smell of food, the boy finally ended up in the kitchen, where he leaned against the doorframe. Genesis and Angeal sat on the stools at the little island, facing each other and eating dinner while talking quietly, ankles intertwined.

“Cloud, sweetie?” Genesis stood up when he noticed his sick boyfriend. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay, but you looked so deeply asleep. Did you need anything?” 

The blonde just blinked at him owlishly.

“Cloud?” 

Angeal had followed his lover and stood before Cloud now.

“I don’t think he’s quite with us.” The burly man gently swept blonde hair to the side before pressing his lips to Cloud’s forehead to feel his temperature. “He’s quite hot,” Angeal observed, steering the other away from the doorframe with an arm around his shoulders. “Let’s get you back to bed, mh?” 

Genesis turned around to quickly put the dishes into the sink and leftovers into the fridge.

“It’s all warm and sweaty in there. Dun’ wanna go…” Cloud mumbled into the elder’s shirt. 

“I’ll get it,” the redhead piped up before washing his hands in the sink and brushing past them to go change the sheets.

Angeal steered the sluggish, disoriented Chocobo back into the direction of the bedroom at a much more leisurely pace. Halfway there, Cloud tarried. “Gotta go pee…” Angeal promptly took a left, heading for the bathroom instead. When it became clear that the elder wasn’t planning on leaving, Cloud tried to pull away. “I can go by myself.” 

“For my own peace of mind, then. I don’t need you splitting you head open, Cloud.”

By the time they made it back to the bedroom, Genesis had finished changing the covers and together, they got the boy settled beneath the duvet. Cloud relished the coolness of the sheets at first, but soon he became restless again. 

“Shh… try to sleep a little, darling.”

Angeal left and came back with a wet towel, which he draped over Cloud’s blazing forehead. The damp cold on his head felt good, and helped a little. Cloud’s two lovers quickly changed into their sleep clothes before getting into bed too, Genesis gathering the blond to his chest in strong arms and Angeal spooning up behind the redhead, as usual. 

“You gonna get sick, Gen… you gotta weak ‘mmune s’stem…” Cloud complained and was promptly shushed.

“I know, Cloud. It’s fine, go to sleep now.” 

Eventually, even the coughs quietened, and the blonde fell into an uneasy, restless slumber.

\- - - 

Cloud only knew his fever had broken sometime during the night because he woke up briefly afterwards to the concerned, sleep-deprived faces of his lovers.

Apparently, he had started mumbling and moving around, even thrashing a little after a while, but all he could recall were hazy snatches of conversation and damp cloths on his skin. Apparently, Sephiroth had proven to be just as much of a mother-hen as Angeal usually was, texting or calling every half hour or so to inquire after their lover’s condition and asking if he should come over. 

Everyone involved was happy to be able to inform him that Cloud’s fever had lowered and the boy would be able to sleep peacefully now.

And sleep, he did. 

\- - -

The next morning dawned bright and clear, and found Cloud much healthier than the previous evening. He still had a bit of an achy throat, and the fever had sapped much of his strength, leaving him weak and shaky, but at least he wasn’t sweating buckets anymore. Even the coughing had lessened. 

Genesis and Angeal were a bit groggy after almost pulling an all-nighter, but were happy to see Cloud better and set about making breakfast, knowing Zack and Sephiroth would be over soon to scrounge some food and see how Cloud was doing.

Zack was as bright and chip as ever, poking Cloud gently at the breakfast table to make sure all parts were still attached at the correct places, but Sephiroth sported some dark smudges below his eyes. He declared that he would be Cloud’s assigned care-taker of the day before anyone else had the chance to call dibs, earning some weak glares from the other tired pair, but he was quickly forgiven. 

“Guess we’ll just have to catch a nap during Tuesti’s presentation, then. All his ideas are completely lunatic, anyway,” Genesis conceded.

After sending the three off to work, Cloud and Sephiroth settled on the couch to watch some movies, both too tired to do anything else and Cloud not in the mood to spend another minute in bed. 

They spent the whole day emerged in cheap action flicks and romantic comedy, and somehow by the time the sun set Cloud had ended up as a compact, snuggly blanket bundle with his head in Sephiroth’ lap, where the elder leisurely trailed his fingers through blond spikes.

Cloud finally felt at just the right temperature again, comfortably warm, and the close presence of one of the men he loved was a sweet bonus. It was perfect. 

When their boyfriends came home in the evening, Sephiroth volunteered to make dinner after having had the chance to rest all day. Genesis and Angeal gratefully curled up in the loveseat, and Zack deemed Cloud healthy enough to challenge the younger boy to a match in their favorite video game, Chocobo Racing.

Cloud won by pretending to sneeze in Zack’s direction just before the finishing line, prompting the other to turn away with a disgusted squawk (really, Cloud was glad his cold seemed to have skipped the ugly sniffling stage). 

After dinner and a quiet evening talking, Sephiroth and Zack headed for their own apartments again, though the latter goaded Cloud into coming over to his abode for the next night.

“Seriously, Gen and ‘Geal have been hogging you for days now, no fair!” 

“…you do realize I’ve got my own apartment to take care of too, right?

“Yeah, I wonder why you still bother. Move in with me, there’s plenty of space at my place! Wow, that even rhymes.” 

“My potted plants probably hate me by now for all the neglect.”

“Take them with you. They can have steamy, hot plant sex with my plants while you have steamy, hot human sex with me.” 

“…you are _so_ weird, Zack.”

“You know you love me.” 

\- - -

The next morning dawned bright and early, and Cloud was woken by a coughing fit; though not his own. 

Rolling over, Cloud rubbed Genesis’ back while the other tried to get his breath back, wheezing about vexatious germs and incompetent immune systems not doing their job.

With a sigh, he gave the redhead a little forehead kiss before leaving his sick lover in Angeal’s arms and heading to the kitchen to start the chicken soup.

**The end.**

**Author's Note:**

> ...anyone drown in fluff yet? :P


End file.
